I design user interfaces to help people understand the services they rely on, and I write codebases that I'll be glad to revisit in a decade. I have 14 years of experience working as a software engineer, and more in design, logistics, and management. In teams I communicate clearly and work respectfully. I design thoughtful, appropriate interfaces and I write robust, readable code. My core expertise is in advanced CSS, design-in-code, data modelling, component templating, and writing dependable JavaScript. I have many years of experience working with Django and custom Python applications, and more recently I was the sole engineer on a project using TypeScript, React, and Next.js. My clients include the United Nations, Oxford University, and various NHS trusts, alongside many other organisations in healthcare, government, NGO, FinTech, and the private sector. My main contribution to open-source is Tenet CSS, a framework for building large-scale frontends that fluidly interpolates your typographic sizing scale, whitespace, and element sizing, (meaning you write far fewer media queries) and which provides tools to keep your codebase maintainable as it grows. I've led design workshops at Oxford University and I designed the beta version of the NHS style guide. I founded and ran a small software agency for five years, served as Principal of Frontend Engineering & Design at a software company in Bristol, and most recently worked as the sole frontend engineer on a blockchain-based bond trading platform for a FinTech company.

Tristan McDonald

PRO

I design user interfaces to help people understand the services they rely on, and I write codebases that I'll be glad to revisit in a decade. I have 14 years of experience working as a software engineer, and more in design, logistics, and management. In teams I communicate clearly and work respectfully. I design thoughtful, appropriate interfaces and I write robust, readable code. My core expertise is in advanced CSS, design-in-code, data modelling, component templating, and writing dependable JavaScript. I have many years of experience working with Django and custom Python applications, and more recently I was the sole engineer on a project using TypeScript, React, and Next.js. My clients include the United Nations, Oxford University, and various NHS trusts, alongside many other organisations in healthcare, government, NGO, FinTech, and the private sector. My main contribution to open-source is Tenet CSS, a framework for building large-scale frontends that fluidly interpolates your typographic sizing scale, whitespace, and element sizing, (meaning you write far fewer media queries) and which provides tools to keep your codebase maintainable as it grows. I've led design workshops at Oxford University and I designed the beta version of the NHS style guide. I founded and ran a small software agency for five years, served as Principal of Frontend Engineering & Design at a software company in Bristol, and most recently worked as the sole frontend engineer on a blockchain-based bond trading platform for a FinTech company.

Available to hire

I design user interfaces to help people understand the services they rely on, and I write codebases that I’ll be glad to revisit in a decade.

I have 14 years of experience working as a software engineer, and more in design, logistics, and management. In teams I communicate clearly and work respectfully. I design thoughtful, appropriate interfaces and I write robust, readable code.

My core expertise is in advanced CSS, design-in-code, data modelling, component templating, and writing dependable JavaScript. I have many years of experience working with Django and custom Python applications, and more recently I was the sole engineer on a project using TypeScript, React, and Next.js.

My clients include the United Nations, Oxford University, and various NHS trusts, alongside many other organisations in healthcare, government, NGO, FinTech, and the private sector.

My main contribution to open-source is Tenet CSS, a framework for building large-scale frontends that fluidly interpolates your typographic sizing scale, whitespace, and element sizing, (meaning you write far fewer media queries) and which provides tools to keep your codebase maintainable as it grows.

I’ve led design workshops at Oxford University and I designed the beta version of the NHS style guide. I founded and ran a small software agency for five years, served as Principal of Frontend Engineering & Design at a software company in Bristol, and most recently worked as the sole frontend engineer on a blockchain-based bond trading platform for a FinTech company.

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Experience Level

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Intermediate
Intermediate
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Intermediate
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Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Lead Frontend Engineer & Designer at Pivio
February 1, 2023 - February 1, 2026
Led design and frontend engineering for a platform enabling issuers to purchase and tokenise government and corporate bonds, and investors to invest and trade their share of each tokenised bond. Worked within strict financial regulation, shaping user journeys and the product experience. Built with Django, HTMX, and Tenet CSS; served as sole engineer on an open-source delivery-versus-payment TypeScript, React, and Next.js application, using the blockchain as the persistence layer.
Software Engineer & Designer at Various contract
August 1, 2020 - February 1, 2023
I designed & built a system for the United Nations to help businesses ensure that their supply chains don't contribute to human rights abuses, an app to make clearly accessible the databases of the National Research Centre on Privacy, Harm Reduction, and Adversarial Influence Online, and an AI-powered app for PadPilot, to help trainee pilots learn techniques and regulation.
Principal of Frontend Engineering & Design at Omni Digital
August 1, 2017 - July 31, 2020
Joined as the sole frontend engineer & designer during initial builds for five large national private businesses and NHS trusts; grew into management as the team expanded to around 20 people; established scalable UI architectures and a robust toolchain, led Agile planning, stakeholder meetings, and mentoring.
Software Engineer & Designer at Perma Development
January 1, 2012 - July 31, 2025
Founded and ran a software agency, delivering websites and bespoke applications for over a hundred clients; led design, contracts, project management, and a small team; built client-ready frontends and backends.
Senior Systems & Technology Officer at Avon Pension Fund
September 1, 2008 - December 1, 2010
Trained pension officers and lawyers in using software to calculate benefits; developed software to stay compliant with emerging regulation; tested software against manual calculations.
Medical Records Archivist & Software Project Lead at Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust
September 1, 2006 - September 1, 2008
Oversaw a digitisation project in cooperation with Fuji, creating a digital stock catalogue of the trust’s large archive of medical records. Hired and directed a team of temporary staff.
Senior Logistics Manager at Waterstone
August 1, 2002 - September 1, 2026
Specialised in organising the procurement and return of stock for the largest national literature festivals.

Education

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Qualifications

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Industry Experience

Healthcare, Government, Non-Profit Organization, Financial Services, Software & Internet, Professional Services

Experience Level

Expert
Expert
Expert
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Beginner
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